Once upon a time, there was a young daughter of a rich family who lived in Rajagaha City. She admired Buddha's teachings and loved to listen to his dhamma talks. Her heart was committed to joining the Buddha's Sangha Order, but her parents wanted a different life for her. They chose to marry her to a rich young man. As an obedient daughter, she complied with the parents' wish.

After having entered the matrimony for a while, she begged her husband to let her join the Sangha Order. Her husband finally gave her his blessings to become member of Buddha's Order. Thus she was ordained as a bhikkhuni and resided with lady-monks under Bhikkhu Devadatta.

Months passed by, one day the lady-monks of the community noticed that the new bhikkhuni was pregnant. They furiously disapproved of her and wanted her to be forced out of the Order. So they brought the case to Bhikkhu Devadatta who agreed that she must quit the Order. The young lady, however, argued that the Buddha should be the one to judge her and decide if she whether or not should be banished from the Order. After an intensive investigation by Upali Thera, the Buddha was counseled that the conception of her baby occurred prior to her joining the Order. Thus they concluded that she must not to be blamed or had to disrobe. This pregnancy case was so famous that even King Pasenadi and Upasika Visakha got involved.

After the bhikkhuni had given birth to a baby boy at the monastery, King Pasenadi adopted the baby and raised him as his own child in the royal palace. The babyboy was given the name 'Kumara-Kassapa'. The boy grew up and played happily with other royal children. But one day the other children were no longer friendly; they ridiculed him, mocking him for being an orphan --not a royal blood sibling. And it made him very sad and desolated. He was only seven years old then, when he went to see the Buddha and asked to be ordained as a samanera and to reside at the Buddha's place.

At the age of twenty he became a bhikku and soon asked for the Buddha's permission to go to Andhavana(Dark) Forest to meditate alone. Bhikkhu Kumara Kassapa made great progress in his meditation, dwelling in solitude. One night, while being in an intense meditative state, a superdeva named Suddhávása appeared in front of him. [The Deva once was his friend during the time of the Kassapa Buddha, and they used to practice meditation together.] Suddhávása Deva explained the reason for his appearance; it was because he had 15 questions for the Bhikkhu to ask the Buddha. ( See Vammika Sutta for the 15 questions.)

Kumara Kassapa then travelled days and nights to see the Buddha and delivered the Deva's 15 questions. While Buddha was telling him the answers to all these questions one by one, Bhikkhu Kumara-Kassapa listened intensely to each answer such that he attained arahantship with the Four Patisambhida -- right at the end of the question #15!

Once there was a very learned prince named 'Payasi of Setavya' whose stubbornness and arrogance was well known throughout the city. But after meeting with and debating about his belief with Kumara-Kassapa, Payasi admitted in public that he was wrong in every category. He was so impressed with Kumara-Kassapa's Dhamma that he proclaimed himself a royal supporter of the Buddha and his monks from then on. Because of Kumara-Kassapa's keen knowledge of the Dhamma and his great skills in delivering it, the Buddha praised him as an "etadagga" who was foremost among those with the special gift of delivering varied and versatile discourses (cittakathikanam).---------

NOTE**: The mother of Bhikkhu Kumara-Kassapa was broken-hearted because King Pasenadi took her baby away to raise in his palace. She truly missed her kid through all those years and always wished that she could meet him again someday. Her wish came true one day, when she suddenly saw bhikkhu Kumara-Kassapa walking by for alms food! She was immensely happy, running to him so fast that she stumbled and fell to the ground in front of him. Bhikkhu Kumara-Kassapa realized that his mother was capable of enlightenment, but her overwhelming love has prevented her from unworldly attainments, therefore he intended to help her overcoming the worthless worldly love. So, instead of showing love and gladness, he criticized his mother that despite of her having been a bhikkhuni for quite a long time, it was shameful that she still could not let go of the wordly attachment. The ruse succeeded; his words cut through her heart like a knife. She suffered so deeply that she walked away from him and went back to the monastery. She then meditated continuously, nonstop, and was able to attain arahantship that very night.

----------NOTE: In the time of Padumuttara Buddha Kassapa was a learned brahmin, and having heard a monk ranked foremost in eloquence, he wished for a similar distinction and did many good deeds and merits towards the end.

NOTE: The superdeva was a deity of the Suddhávása brahma world. He was one of five friends who, in the time of Kassapa Buddha, had entered the Order and who, in order to meditate uninterruptedly, had climbed a rock by means of a ladder which they had then removed, thus cutting off their return. The eldest became an arahant in three days, the second (anuthera) was this superdeva, who had become an anágámí. The third was Pukkusáti, the fourth Báhiya Dárucíriya and the last Kumára-Kassapa. This superdeva was responsible for the arahantship both of Báhiya and Kumara-Kassapa.

*****************Love Buddha's dhamma,yawares

Last edited by yawares on Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:43 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Bhikkhu Kumara-Kassapa realized that his mother was capable of enlightenment, but her overwhelming love has prevented her from unworldly attainments, therefore he intended to help her overcoming the worthless worldly love. So, instead of showing love and gladness, he criticized his mother that despite of her having been a bhikkhuni for quite a long time, it was shameful that she still could not let go of the wordly attachment. The ruse succeeded; his words cut through her heart like a knife. She suffered so deeply that she walked away from him and went back to the monastery. She then meditated continuously, nonstop, and was able to attain arahantship that very night.

Bhikkhus, if you develop and make much this one thing, it invariably leads to weariness, cessation, appeasement, realization and extinction. What is it? It is recollecting the Enlightened One. If this single thing is recollected and made much, it invariably leads to weariness, cessation, appeasement, realization and extinction.Anguttara-Nikaya: Ekanipata: Ekadhammapali: PañhamavaggaVSMVMMWBBTBHTWTBTMy Page

********Kanamata And Sweetmeats[Translated from the Pali by Daw Mya Tin, M.A.]

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (82) of this book, with reference to the mother of Kana, Kanamata.

Kanamata was a devoted lay disciple of the Buddha. Her daughter Kana was married to a man from another village. As Kana had been on a visit to her mother for some time, her husband sent a message for her to come home. Her mother told her to wait for one more day as she wanted to send along some sweetmeats with her for her husband. The next day, Kanamata made some sweetmeats, but when four bhikkhus stood at her door for alms, she offered some to them. The four bhikkhus told other bhikkhus about the sweetmeats from Kanamata's house and they also came to stand at the door of Kanamata, as a devotee of the Buddha and his disciples, offered her sweetmeats to the bhikkhus as they came in, one after another. The result was that in the end there was none left for Kana and she did not go home on that day. The same thing happened on the next two days; her mother made some sweetmeats, the bhikkhus stood at her door, she offered her sweetmeats to the bhikkhus, there was nothing left for her daughter to take home, and her daughter did not go home. On the third day, for the third time, her husband sent her a message, which was also an ultimatum stating that if she failed to come home the next day, he would take another wife. But on the next day also Kana was unable to go home because her mother offered all her sweetmeats to the bhikkhus. Kana's husband then took another wife and Kana became very bitter towards the bhikkhus. She used to abuse all bhikkhus so much so that the bhikkhus kept away from the house of Kanamata.

The Buddha heard about Kana and went to the house of Kanamata; there Kanamata offered him some rice gruel. After the meal, the Buddha sent for Kana and asked her, "Did my bhikkhus take what was given them or what was not given them ?" Kana answered that the bhikkhus had taken only what was given them, and then added, "They were not in the wrong; only I was in the wrong." Thus, she owned up her fault and she also paid homage to the Buddha. The Buddha then gave a discourse. At the end of the discourse, Kana attained Sotapatti Fruition.

On the way back to the monastery, the Buddha met King Pasenadi of Kosala. On being told about Kana and her bitter attitude towards the bhikkhus, King Pasenadi asked the Buddha whether he had been able to teach her the Dhamma and, make her see the Truth (Dhamma). The Buddha replied, "Yes, I have taught her the Dhamma, and I have also made her rich in her next existence." Then the king promised the Buddha that he would make Kana rich even in this existence. The king then sent his men with a palanquin to fetch Kana. When she arrived, the king announced to his ministers, "Whoever can keep my daughter Kana in comfort may take her." One of the ministers volunteered to adopt Kana as his daughter, gave her all his wealth, and said to her, "You may give in charity as much as you like." Everyday, Kana made offerings to the bhikkhus at the four city-gates. When told about Kana giving generously in charity, the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus, the mind of Kana which was foggy and muddled was made clear and calm by my words."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 82: Like a lake which is deep, clear and calm, the wise after listening to the Teaching (Dhamma) become serene.

Thank you for that wonderful tale Yawares. I just love it when people are listening to the Buddha speak on Dhamma and they attain enlightenment on the spot. Its within the realms of possibility for us to experience this, actually. Of course it is best to attain release sooner rather than later, but it would be possible that, with the right kind of kamma and wholesome resolve, one could reappear in the Brahma realms, remain there for the number of aeons particular to life there, and reappear on the earthly plane just at the time that the next Buddha is teaching.

I know, I know...just practice to the best of our ability right now - I totally agree. But still, the thought of gaining full enlightenment in the presence of a Sammasambuddha, is also appealing. To hear those words of truth issuing forth from their source, and then, Pow - ignorance dispelled.